User account menu

Main navigation

VIVID NEW MUSIC AT THE CON #17.00pm: Simon Barker & Chloe KimConservatorium musicians Chloe Kim and Simon Barker, will kick off Vivid Sydney on the...

Simon Barker & Chloe Kim + Elysian Fields

Location:

1 Conservatorium Rd
2000 NSW
Australia

Venue:

Sydney Conservatorium Of Music

Event Details

VIVID NEW MUSIC AT THE CON #1

7.00pm: Simon Barker & Chloe Kim

Conservatorium musicians Chloe Kim and Simon Barker, will kick off Vivid Sydney on the Con forecourt on Saturday, 27 May. The dynamic drumming duo will perform an improvisation inspired by rhythms and music of Korean and the Asia-Pacific.

7.30-8.30pm: Elysian Fields

They are followed by the only Australian electric viola band, Elysian Fields, in the Con’s Music Cafe. Led by viola da gambist Jenny Eriksson and saxophonist Matt Keegan, and accompanied by pianist Matt McMahon, Elysian Fields will play several sets from funky blues and cool Scandinavian jazz, to haunting folk songs and soundscapes composed by Keegan and McMahon.

VIVID NEW MUSIC AT THE CON 2017 is a festival of genre-bending new music produced by the best of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s homegrown and guest composers, jazz and contemporary musicians over the three weeks of Vivid Sydney 2017. From classical to Chinese instruments, masses of electric guitars to newly invented digital instruments, Sydney’s iconic music castle will come alive with a vibrant program of performances and installations. Nestled at the edge of the new light walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens, drop in to one of Sydney’s best music venues and engage your ears with an eclectic smorgasbord of sounds.

Elysian Fields

Elysian Fields was formed almost three years ago by highly regarded viola da gambist, Jenny Eriksson, and co-lead by improvised music icons, Matt Keegan (saxophones) and Matt McMahon (piano). Elysian Fields has quickly built a reputation for its unique tone colours and eclectic set list which swings in the moment from funky blues, to the cool Scandinavian jazz of Eriksson’s heritage, haunting folk songs and broad soundscapes created by Keegan and McMahon. Elysian Fields is deeply committed to creating and presenting new Australian music, largely composed by its members.

Eriksson is widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading acoustic viola da gambists – a 7 string, bowed instrument about the size of a cello but with frets - and one of her instruments great risk-takers. She is an expert on the music of the great French viola da gambist, Marin Marais, whose life was celebrated in the cult film, “Tour les matins du monde”. Alongside, and as a part of, her highly regarded classical chamber music performances, Jenny has performed and recorded with jazz and world music artists for many years. Her collaborators include Llew and Mara Kiek and Steve Elphick from the Mara! band, horn player and composer, Paul Cutlan, Matt McMahon, Joseph Tawadros, Kevin Hunt and Matt Keegan as well as Susie Bishop and Emily Rose Sarkova from Chaika.

Having attended jazz and improvised music gigs for many years, Eriksson decided several years ago to buy a newly designed electric viola da gamba and move beyond her early music heritage.

The band takes its name from Eriksson’s sister in law’s beautiful north coast property, Elysian Fields, where she spent time practicing and arranging music for the band’s launch at Foundry 616 in November, 2015.